Handle for tamping-shovels.



s 0 9 1 9 2 aw U A D T m v. T m A E P V 0 H mLS G m MP UM BA .T w WP E LD N A H 7 2 1 8 9 7 0 N APPLICATION FILED 'JAN. 31. 1906.

Inventor Witnesse %.;14

WILLIAM P. BURNITT, OF GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI.

HANDLE FOR TAIVlPlNG-SHOVELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed January 31, 1905. Serial No. 243,536.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. BURNITT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greenwood, in the county of Lefiore and State ofMississippi, have invented a new and useful Handle for Tamping-Shovels,of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an attachment forspades and shovels,

with a view of utilizing the handle of the shovel for tamping or packingof the earth and similar material. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment in theform of a hand-protector which may be made at small cost and form a partof the equipment of the workman, so that he may secure it to the shovelor remove it therefrom, as circumstances may require.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafterappear, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, andminor, details of the structure may be made without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handleconstructed in accordance with the invention and showing the sameapplied to a blade of a shovel. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view ofthe same, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is an elevationillustrating a hand-protector of modilied construction applied to ashovel-blade. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, illustrating afurther modification of the invention. Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of the removable metallic bar supported by the protector andprovided with a groove to receive the cutting edge of the blade.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Shovels and spades are in many cases provided with handles of suchconstruction that they may be used in place of tamping-irons for packingdirt, gravel, and similar material around trees, shrubs, fence-posts, orbeneath railway-ties, and in practice it is usual to grasp the cuttingedge of the shovel-blade. This is not only injurious to the hand, butthe earth cannot be packed sufiiciently tight, inasmuch as the workmanrisks serious injury from the delivery of a hard blow with theimplement.

The present invention is to provide a small detachable hand-guard whichmay be carried in the pocket and applied to any ordinary shovel whennecessary, and said protector may be made of any suitable or convenientshape, as in the form of a handle, or it may be in the nature of a guardhaving a rod or bar recessed for the reception of the cutting edge ofthe shovel-blade.

One form of the invention comprises a handle 1, having a shank portion2, that is provided with a longitudinally-disposed groove 3 for thereception of the cutting edge of the shovel or spade, and in the base ofthe groove is a bar 4, formed of metal or other suitable material, toreceive the edge of the blade, so as to prevent splitting of the handle.This bar is mounted within the shank portion so as to permit of itsready removal when Worn from constant use, and in practice it is foundthat a bar of lead or an alloy of some comparatively soft metal isbetter suited for the work than a bar of iron or steel, inasmuch as itwill prevent injury to the cutting edge of the shovel or spade. Theshank portion of the handle is provided with fastening means, which maybe in the form of screws 5, passing through suitable openings 6. Theblade of the shovel is provided with openings for the passage of thesecuring means, there being, preferably, a number of such openingsformed in the shovel in order that the handle may be fastened on afterthe shovel or spade has been worn.

The shank portion of the handle may be provided with simple threadedopenings for the reception of set-screws that lie against one face ofthe shovel-blade, and that wall of the groove of the shank opposite thescrew is preferably roughened in order that it may the better engagewith the opposite face of the shovel-blade. In a still furthermodification of the invention the shank portion of the handle is widenedto an extent sufficient to pass beyond both edges of the shovel-bladeand clamping-screws 7 used to unite the two sides of the shank and clampthe same down upon the blade of the shovel. In all cases it is intendedthat the device be made and sold at small cost and be a part of theequipment of the workman, so that he may apply the the shovel.

same to the shovel When it is necessary to use the handle end of theshovel for tamping purposes.

With a device of this kind the shovel may be used as a tamping-iron,thus saving the expense of an additional tool and the labor oftransporting the same from place to place.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is- 1. A shovelattachment, comprising a handle member having a slotted shank for thereception of the cutting edge of the shovelblade.

2. A shovel attachment comprising a removable handle, and a slotted barcarried by said handle for the reception of the blade of shovelattachment comprising a grooved handle having a detachable slotted barfor engaging the cutting edge of the shovelblade.

4. A shovel attachment, comprising a body portion shaped to form a shankfor the reception of the cutting edge of the shovel-blade, and a handlemember that projects beyond the cutting edge.

5. A shovel attachment comprising a grooved handle member having aslotted shank, and a detachable metallic bar arranged in the base of theslot and adapted to receive the cutting edge of the shovel-blade. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM P. BURNITT.

Witnesses:

D. E. MCDONALD, M. P. FIsHBURN.

